Bylaws
By-Laws of: USS WALKE (DD-723)ASSOCIATION
A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
1. These By-Laws constitute the Code of Rules adopted by USS WALKE (DD-723)
Association (here in the (Association) for regulation and management of its
affairs.
2. The objectives of the Association are:
a. To locate and unite all living former members of crews that served aboard
USS Walke (DD-723).
b. To preserve and strengthen comradeship among members and the esprit
de corps of the group and to encourage them to participate in Association
activities.
c. To honor the deceased at each of our reunion with an appropriate ceremony.
d. To solicit voluntary dues and donations for the administration of the
Association and the publication of the Association's newsletter.
e. To assist worthy and needy members of the Association and other former
shipmates of the USS Walke.
3. Membership:
a. Members must have served on USS Walke (DD-723), be a
surviving immediate family member (child, parent, spouse, or sibling).
Other persons having an extraordinary relationship may be voted as
members upon their application and approval by the President and
First Vice President.
4. Dues and donations:
a. Voluntary dues and donations shall be solicited annually for the fiscal
year being January 1- December 31.
b. The Executive Board will establish the annual dues amount ( $15.00 at
this time) and adjust as necessary at the business meeting held in
conjunction with the reunion.
c. All members contributing (even if only a portion of the current year's
dues) will be considered members in good standing and have full voting
rights.
d. All dues/donations will be sent to USS Walke Association, in care of
the Secretary/Treasurer, who will be the receiver of all funds sent
to the Association for any purpose. Dues will not be accepted for more
than two years in advance.
e. Extraordinary members are eligible to pay dues and make donations as
they wish, but, are not required to be dues paying members.
f. Spouses of deceased members are considered full members for life and
are exempt from dues/ donations unless they so desire to contribute.
5. Rights and Privileges:
a. All former crew members and their spouses of USS Walke (DD-723) may
attend all reunions and business meetings, voting on issues of import
to the Association.(see 4.c above)
b. Members may make motions from the floor at business meetings in
accordance with parliamentary rules.
c. Members in good standing are entitled to all published material
produced by the Association, including the financial report. Quarterly
newsletters will be mailed routinely to all former crew members
identified, regardless whether dues have been paid. If dues ( full or
partial payment) have not been paid for two quarters, a request will be
mailed to the recipient to ascertain if continued mailing are desired.
Recipients not wishing to receive the newsletter should notify the
Secretary/Treasurer or Editor of their desire to be dropped from the
mailing list.
d. Members are entitled to take grievances before the Executive Board
either in person or in writing.
6. Meeting:
a. The annual business meeting shall be held in conjunction with the
annual reunion and in such time and place as the President announces.
b. Special business meetings may be called by any of the following: the
Executive Board, the President, or by at least 10% of the membership of
the Association.
c. Members may only vote in person.
d. The Chief Master-at-arms will count the votes at the annual business
meeting.
7. Termination of Membership: Membership will terminate in the Association
in the following events:
a. Receipt by the Executive Board for written resignation and the accepted
the Board.
b. Death of the member.
c. For cause, action contrary to that deemed acceptable to the Association,
and after due process and hearing by the Board.
8. Obligations of Members:
a. Members must maintain true allegiance to the United States.
b. Keep the Secretary informed of current address and telephone number.
c. Conduct himself befitting a member of the U.S. Navy and the honorable
Association.
9. Management:
a. All Association action shall be authorized by the Executive Board and
approved by the membership. All business and the affairs of this
Associations shall be exercised by and under the authority of, and
controlled by the Executive Board consisting of at least three members.
b. Members of the Executive Board shall be the President, First Vice
President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and the immediate
Past President.
c. The Executive Board shall fill any vacancy by majority vote until a
successor is elected at the next annual meeting.
d. The Executive Board shall meet annually at the designated time and
place established by the Board.
e. The Executive Board shall review and act on all grievances from members.
Revoking of membership will be accomplished by submitting the
recommendation to the membership at the next annual meeting for vote.
10. Election of Officers:
a. The Officer of the Association shall include:
1) President
2) First Vice President
3) Second Vice President
4) Secretary
5) Treasurer ( may be combined with that of Secretary
6) Reunion Chairman
7) Such other Assistant Officers as the voting members may deem from
time to time to select
b. All nominations for offices shall be may in open convention, and
election to office shall be by majority vote of members present.
c. While the goal of the Association will be to have a rotation of members
serve as officers of the Association, there shall no limitation placed
on the term of service consistent with the desires of the voting
members, except that the President shall be limited to two terms.
d. Duties of Officers:
1) President: The Present will preside at all business meeting,
supervise and control the affairs of the Association. He will
appoint the following Assistants:
a) Chaplain
b) Chief Master-at -Arms
c) Newsletter Editor
d) Historian
e) Audit Committee
f) Ad Hoc Committee
2) 1st Vice President: The First President will perform all duties and
exercise all powers of the President when the President is absent
or is otherwise unable to act. The First Vice President will
perform those other duties directed by the Executive Board.
3) Second Vice President; The Second Vice President will perform the
duties of the First Vice President in the absence. The Second Vive
President will perform those other duties as directed by the
Executive Board.
4) Secretary: The Secretary shall keep a book of minutes of all annual
Business meeting; maintain an up-to-date master membership list
with names, addresses, phone numbers and pertinent
service information; issue members; maintain a record of
correspondence and advertise the date and location of annual
reunions; send inputs to the Newsletter Editor of correspondence
for distribution to the membership as a propriate; perform such
other duties as assigned by the President or the Executive Board.
In addition the Secretary shall be the custodian of all material
donated to the Association or purchased by it with Association
funds. The Secretary will provide a current listing of dues received
at each reunion to enable the membership to accurately determine
their up-to-date status.
5) Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be the fiscal officer of the Association:
he shall keep and maintain adequate and correct accounts of the
properties and business transactions of the Association, including
assets, liabilities, receipts, disbursements and membership.
He shall collect all dues, donations and all reunion fees for the
meeting and reunion activities sent to the Association. He shall be
custodian and recipient of all liquid fund and assets of the
Association. He shall make disbursements as authorized by the Executive
Board and administer the cash funds as may be established. He shall
open saving, checking and/or money market/CD accounts in the name of
the Association and deposit funds as received into those accounts. He
shall sign all checks of disbursement and establish policy of refunds.
The President may sign checks in the absence of the Treasurer. He shall
submit an annual financial statement to the Executive Board and the
membership at the annual business meeting and cause it to be published
in the newsletter. He should be prepared to have the accounts audited
annually at each reunion by an audit committee appointed by the
President. He shall perform such other duties as directed by the
Executive Board.
6) Reunion Committee Chairman; The reunion Committee Chairman shall be
elected at the annual meeting by virtue of the selection of his proposed
site as the location for the next annual reunion and business meeting and
will assume office at the completion of the current reunion, holding
office until the completion of the annual reunion at his site. The
Chairman and committee of his selection shall have authority to spend
Association money for Association purposes of the reunion. The Chairman
and his committee shall be in charge of all arrangements, including
contracts with hotels, transportation, entertainment, tours, and caterers.
A fund will be established and provided for the Chairman to enable him and
his committee to get the reunion planning underway expeditiously.
7) Nominating Committee; This committee shall report the President and to
membership at the annual business meeting. The nominating committee
shall be appointed by the President with advice of the Executive Board
and shall consist of the Chairman and at least two other members. The
committee shall present the recommended slate at the business meeting;
however, this dose not preclude nominations from the floor.
11. Inspection of the Books and the Financial Records; All books and financial
records of the Association may be inspected by any member for any proper
purpose at any reasonable time on written demand, stating the purpose of
the inspection.
12. Amendments; The power to alter, amend or repeal these By-Laws or adopt
new By-Laws is vested in the voting membership requiring an approval of
2/3 of the voting members in person, at the annual business meeting of
the membership.
13. In the event of termination of this Association, any funds remaining in
the accounts shall be donated to the Welfare Fund of any Walke in
commission at that time. If no such ship exists, the fund will be donated
to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. The Historian will forward his
records to the Nation Archives and Records Service. Washington D.C.20408
14. Cash Funds Administration; The Executive Board of the USS Walke
Association establishes the following funds for the purpose of providing
the necessary money to effectively and efficiently carry out the duties of
various offices in the Association.
President................$50.00
Secretary................$250.00
Treasurer................$100.00
Newsletter Editor........$1000.00
Reunion Chairman.........$800.00
The Treasurer will advance the sums indicted for each fund to each officer
indicated. He will replenish funds upon receipt to ensure expenditures are
necessary items to carry out the functions of the respective office of
committee. Unresolved items will be referred to the Executive Board for
action. Fund custodians will acknowledge receipt of the funds and keep the
own cash records. To replenish the funds, custodians will submit receipts
and dated invoices to the Treasurer, who will send a check by return mail
to fund back to maximum amount.
15. Reunions. The reunion site shall be determined at the annual business
meeting, held in conjunction with the reunion and be voted upon by the
majority of members present. Unless other wise voted, the reunion site
will be on a rotating basis; i.e. West Coast, mid-America, East Coast.
The time between reunions will be determined by the location and will be
such that the best price can be obtained for the particular season.
The time should not exceed 18 months unless members vote otherwise.
Guidelines to be followed if possible, include:
a. Room rates to remain below $100.00
b. Central location to local transportation
c. Availability of local tours and transportation
d. Hospitality Rooms should be complimentary
e. Banquet Room should be complimentary.
f. Association should be allowed to provide own refreshments (Liquor)
e. Liability insurance be available at reasonable rates for locality of
reunion. In the event that an insurance carrier can not be
located in the vicinity of the reunion, the insurance carrier will
be located by the Secretary/Treasurer.
These By-Laws have been voted and accepted by two thirds members present and
are the official documents describing the operation of the USS Walke DD-723
Association, this day October 27, 1998 at Las Vegas N.V.
Attested to be true copy of USS Walke By-Laws on this date the 8th of March 2000
and these by-laws are complete and current and are the only instrument of
operation of the USS Walke DD-723 Association.
Allen S. Jefferies Cdr. USN Ret.
Secretary/Treasurer USS Walke Association (Term ended October 2004)
Retyped by Richard D. Williamson 12/27/04
Secretary/Treasurer USS Walke Association